Scott, a two-term Republican governor, held a 10,033-vote edge — or 0.12 percent — over Nelson, a Democrat who was seeking re-election to his fourth six-year term in the U.S. Senate.
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How Flagler County Is Readying to Upend Bing’s Landing Park to Benefit Private Restaurant–and Political Donors
Flagler County government will allow Captain’s BBQ to build a larger restaurant in the middle of Bing’s Landing, at its own expense but with large subsidies from the county.
ASPCA in Flagler Shows Lurid World of Animal Cruelty and Its Kin to Domestic Violence and Other Crimes
The ASPCA, the Flagler Humane Society and other local agencies hosted a two-day training conference in Bunnell for cops and animal control officers from around the state to improve animal-abuse prosecutions.
DeSantis Wins Governor’s Race (Again), Manual Recounts For 2 Other Statewide Races
Ron DeSantis maintained almost his exact lead over Andrew Gillum after a machine recount. Manual recounts are ordered for the Scott-Nelson and Fried-Caldwell races.
Palm Coast Streetlights: $860,000 Plan Would Light Up 23 Miles Of Roads Over Next 5 Years
Two-thirds of the cost would be one-time capital and one third would be recurring, and in addition to the $700,000 a year the city spends now on lighting the city.
Flagler Schools Will Reluctantly Adopt Religious Freedom Policy Imposed By State
The Flagler County school district is following state law in adopting a new but vague policy protecting religious expression, though some school board members say it’s an unnecessary imposition.
Nature Is Dying. Florida Is Sinking. Are Republicans Up to the Challenge?
A string of recent hurricanes reminded Floridians they don’t have to look across the country to see climate change in action. But the GOP continues to be in climate-change denial mode.
Palm Coast and County Resolve Sour Development Conflict, Signaling Falgout’s More Cooperative ‘Playbook’
The Airport Commons development opposite the future Wawa had led Palm Coast to threaten to sue the county, until the city’s Beau Falgout replaced Jim Landon. Then it became all about resolving issues.
As Nelson Charges Interference, Scott Will Step Down From Canvassing Board
Democrats have alleged that Scott has improperly tried to use his authority as governor to influence the recount, which could decide his political future.
Palm Coast Council Explores More Underground Power Lines, But FPL
Makes It Expensive
FPL is inviting Palm Coast government to “convert” more overhead power lines to underground lines, but the city would have to assume most of the cost. Council members are cool to the idea.
Recount Totals in Flagler Show Little Change, as in Other Small and Mid-Sized Counties
In Flagler County, each of the candidates in the recount gained a few dozen votes, but in proportions that did not change the winner’s margin or affected the state tally.
Bunnell Takes Page From St. Augustine to Adopt Harshest Anti-Panhandling Rules in Flagler
Bunnell’s new ordinance prohibits panhandling within 20 feet of any business or commercial property, alongside drivers or diners, but limits penalties to fines.
Voters in 3 Red States Approve Obamacare’s Medicaid Expansion, Bringing Total to 36
Florida under Gov. Rick Scott repeatedly blocked Medicaid expansion, which provides benefits to all adults earning up to 38 percent above the federal poverty line, an annual income of $16,753 or less.
In Flagler Commemoration of Veterans Day, Memories of Armistice Day and Vietnam
Hal Kushner, a physician who spent five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and Joe Kowalsky, who won this year’s Veteran of the Year Award, highlighted Flagler’s Veterans Day ceremony.
Historic Recount of 3 Races Begins in Flagler Amid Relaxed, Tranquil Atmosphere
No surprises and even less controversy is expected in Flagler County’s portion of a statewide recount, which will take much of Sunday and possibly spill over into Monday.
Rhetoric Continues to Heat Up As Recount Is Ordered For Three Races
In Flagler, the recount in Flagler begins at 9 a.m. Sunday in the presence of the three-member canvassing board. The process is open to the public. It is expected to take all day.
As Scott-Nelson Margin Shrinks and Fury Surges, Experts Say Process Is Working
Watching his lead shrink, Scott accused elections supervisors in Broward and Palm Beach counties of “incompetence” and fraud though the process is following state law and timelines.
In Last-Minute Plea Before Trial, Phillip Haire Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison For
Shooting at His Father and a Cop
Phillip Haire, 21, was facing three life-in-prison terms on 10 violent charges in the drive-by shooting targeting a sheriff’s sergeant and Haire’s father on London Drive in Palm Coast in May 2017.
In Flagler Beach, Leery Opposition to St. Johns District’s Wetlands Restoration Is Unabated
Public opposition remains strong to a planned wetlands “restoration” project along the Intracoastal in south Flagler Beach, forcing the St. Johns Water Management District to decide whether to forego it or plow through.
Flagler Canvassing Board Prepares for Recount Sunday in Senate, Agriculture and Governor’s Race
The Flagler County Canvassing Board is preparing to count more than 54,000 ballots in three statewide races in the first such statewide recount since 2000, when a recount was aborted.
From Surreal to Celebratory, Sheriff and Ricky Wheeler’s Mother Thank a Community For Finding Him
Sheriff Rick Staly presented commendations and certificates of appreciation to those who took part in the search that found Ricky Wheeler after he went missing five days in September.
DeSantis Win Paves Way for Most Conservative Supreme Court in Generations
Ron DeSantis’ narrow win in Tuesday’s election for governor will bring an unprecedented expansion of conservative Republican power in Tallahassee.
The Death of WNZF’s Ron Charles, Friend and Colleague, at 56
Ron ‘Charles’ Gitschier, 56, built Flagler County’s first radio station WNZF as its chief engineer for the past 10 years, was its news director and a man of rare integrity and humility.
Hansen, Mullins Win County Commission, Howell and Branquinho Win Palm Coast, McDonald Re-Elected to School Board
The races for Flagler County Commission and Palm Coast council were not close in a mid-term election that saw turnout rise to an astounding 64 percent.
Fire Flight Lands on Belle Terre Near Publix To Pick Up Man Injured in Motorcycle Crash
The man was traveling north on Belle Terre Parkway at 2:32 p.m. when, just south of Eastwood Drive, he lost control, his bike flipped and went airborne, sending him crashing.
A Few Big Legislative Races, Scattered Through Florida
Donors, party leaders and political operatives don’t like to toss away money on lost causes. With that in mind, here are some of the races to watch Tuesday in various regions of the state.
Pit Bull Mauls 9-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl In Incident Similar to Attack on Pizza Man
For the second time in two weeks a pit bull slipped through the front door and attacked the person there, in this case a 9-year-old girl who was severely injured.
Palm Coast Woman, 35, Stabs Boyfriend In Latest Bout of Violence Involving Both
Monique Garcia, who pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence attack on Justin Campbell two years ago, is charged with stabbing him twice in a W-Section incident Monday.
Flurry of Polls Show Gillum and Nelson Decisively Edging Past DeSantis and Scott
Andrew Gillum and Bill Nelson have built solid leads among independents, women and minorities, with Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott leading only among white men.
Buying Their Election: Mullins and Hansen Shatter Spending Records for Flagler County Commission Seats
The nearly $200,000 Joe Mullins and Greg Hansen have spent so far puts them on pace to match or outspend all 26 other county commission candidates in the past three years combined.
Yes, Your Car Can Be A Weapon, Florida Supreme Court Rules, Altering ’95 Definition
The Supreme Court made the somewhat-unusual move of backing away from a 1995 decision, which said a weapon must be “commonly understood to be an instrument for combat.”
In Miami on Final Stretch, Obama Chides GOP For ‘Repeated Attempts to Divide You’
The former president’s trip to the Sunshine State was sandwiched between two appearances in Florida by President Donald Trump, who held a rally Wednesday in Lee County.
Palm Coast Approves Cultural Grants. Just Don’t Call It “Religious Outreach.”
The Palm Coast City Council this week approved grants for 13 cultural events by local non-profits, totaling $34,500. The Palm Coast United Methodist Church’s description of its mission as “religious outreach” drew an objection in the context of cultural grants.
Seminole Woods Girl, 13, Fabricates Kidnapping Story After Her Phone Is Confiscated
A Seminole Woods girl’s claim of having been kidnapped provoked a commotion, a lot of concern and a significant response from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office before she owned up to the fake claim.
Restoring Felons’ Right to Vote:
Why I’m Voting Yes on Amendment 4
In 46 other states, the right is restored either immediately or on completion of probation. Florida stands out for harshness, accounting for a quarter of America’s disenfranchised.
Joseph Bova Scrawls Guilty Plea in Mobil Station Murder, But Is Judged Still Incompetent
Joseph Bova is accused of first degree murder in the execution-style shooting of store clerk Zuheili Roman Rosado at the Mobil convenience store on State Road 100 in February 2013.
Legendary B-25 Bomber Among Two Dozen Aircraft at Flagler Airport’s Freedom Fest Saturday
Freedom Fest 2018 will include an air parade, a special pinning ceremony for Vietnam-era veterans, three tribute rock bands, numerous displays and fireworks to end it all.
Amendment 13: ‘Humane Treatment of Animals’ Would End Dog Racing in Florida
Florida is one of a handful of places in the country with dog racing, and passage of the amendment would be a serious blow for an industry that has been in the state for decades.
As Palm Coast Looks to Rewrite Feral Cat Rules, Advocates Plead For More Accommodation
The Palm Coast council is again wrestling with the often divisive matter of feral cats, with advocates asking for tolerance and opponents asking for more containment of what they consider nuisances.
Flagler Representative On Federal Juvenile Justice Panel Describes Efforts Decimated By Trump
Cheryl Massaro, director of the Flagler County Youth Center, describes how the Trump administration disbanded and stopped the work of the Federal Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice she was appointed to two years ago.
Showdown Over Local Control as State Aims to Stop Miami Beach From Raising Minimum Wage
Attorney General Pam Bondi claims a state law bars Miami Beach from gradually increasing its minimum wage to $13.31 an hour in 2021. The case also has drawn attention from local governments, which have sided with Miami Beach.
Ex-‘Funworld Place’ Owner Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges as State Drops Its Own
Jerard Davis, 33, a resident of Palm Coast’s Buttonwell Lane, was originally arrested after a high-profile search of his business, from where police claimed he was selling drugs and counterfeit merchandise.
Palm Coast Council Gets Primer on Dangerous Dog Rules: ‘You Don’t Have a Role in Process’
The presentation was a more formal way of assuring the council that it had immunity in dangerous-dog decisions–as long as it remained on the sidelines.
Stepped-Up Sheriff’s Patrols, New Sex-Offender App, Candy Buy Back: Halloween Game Plans
Flagler sheriff’s personnel will be conducting heavy patrols and providing crossing assistance at critical points for Halloween, the FDLE has a new safety app, and Flagler Dental is doing candy buy-back for 10 days afterward.
From Wing Joint to Hair Salon, Florida Voters Split on Gillum-DeSantis Race for Governor
Interviews with a diversity of Florida voters reveal the searing differences of opinions between voters–and their solidified opinions about Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum, with days left in the gubernatorial race.
One Email From Serial Litigant Shuts Down Flagler Beach’s Video Access to Public Meetings
Eddie Sierra, a deaf south Floridian, is filing lawsuit after lawsuit against local governments across Florida if they stream government meetings without close-captioning them for the deaf.
Alleged Armed Robbery Leaves Man Injured at Dakota Joe’s on Old Dixie Highway
Employees at Dakota Joe’s, a business at 2245 South Old Dixie Highway, were allegedly the targets of a violent armed robbery that resulted in a man’s hospitalization late Sunday night.
Man Who Dislocated Flagler Deputy’s Shoulder During Arrest Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison
The judge’s sentence was much lighter than then 30 years or more it could have been based on the initial charges against Pitter: in February he’d faced a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, a first-degree felony.
Gargiulo Foundation’s Flagler Canvas Brims With More Artists, More Galleries, More Artist of the Year Nominees
Rather than just declare a Flagler County Artist of the Year, this time the Gargiulo Art Foundation nominated six potential winners and is working up to a winner through shows at two separate galleries.
Amendments 1, 2 and 5: Taking Aim at Taxes Through Homestead Exemption, a Cap and Supermajorities
Three proposals on the November ballot that would make tax-related changes to the state Constitution have drawn conflicting views from the real-estate industry, local governments and other groups about the measures’ potential economic impacts.